Stories from the Hold
by Silver-Eyed-Rukia
Summary: A compilation of small One-Shots based on the everyday lives of our favourite Skyhold residents. Adaar (female Qunari Inquisitor) x Sera and other DAI characters.
1. Story I - Love is unconditional

**Stories from the Hold  
**

**Story I - Love is unconditional**

by

_Silver-Eyed Rukia_

**Rated:** T

**Summary:** A compilation of small One-Shots based on the everyday lives of our favourite Skyhold residents.

**This One-Shot:** Sera asks the Inquisitor about why they are together and gets an unexpected reaction.

**Pairing:** Adaar x Sera

**Note:** This isn't beta-ed, so please ignore any mistakes. Or point them out and correct me, whatever you prefer.

* * *

"Do you like women?"

Adaar placed her index finger between the pages of the book she was currently reading and lowered it, raising an eyebrow at the random question directed at her.

"Well, yes. I have nothing against women by any means."

Sera, who had been staring at the ceiling ever since her lover had left the bed, now turned her gaze towards said woman and rolled her eyes.

"No, I mean like _like_ them. You know, woof. Rawr, women, yeah?"

The warrior sat up from her lying position on the couch and scratched the back of her head, wondering if she had missed something to cause this conversation as she placed the book onto a nearby table.

"I am with you, am I not?"

"Well, yeah that's true, but you never actually said that you like females. I mean, with the way you keep me up all night at times I don't doubt it but- I don't know! Just answer the question."

Sera had also sat up from the bed, naked as she had been created with only a blanket to cover at least the lower half of her thin body. The redhead walked over to her and sat down on the edge of the bed, ruffling through her love's blonde locks to draw out that little pout she always enjoyed seeing so much before answering again.

"Love is unconditional, Sera. You can't control whether you fall in love with a man or a woman, or a dwarf or an elf. I'd love you just as much if you were half your current size. Well, in height at least."

The rogue burst out laughing at the image and fell flat on her back, causing the sheets to slide down her legs even further.

"Could you imagine that? A dwarf and a Qunari? Oh shit that'd be like living between tits cause dwarfs are short and...and...tits. I bet hugs would feel amazing though."

"I don't know, Scout Harding _is_ quite charming."

"Hey!"

Adaar laughed quietly as she grabbed the blanket and pulled it back over Sera's waist. "As lovely a sight as you are, it's quite distracting when I am supposed to answer questions. And I'm joking, alright? A little friendly flirting hasn't hurt anyone so far."

"Damn right it better be a joke. Scout or not I'd spick her with arrows faster than you can say pissballs."

A moment of silence passed and the Inquisitor's face turned serious.

"Why did you ask me that?"

Greyish-blue eyes were fixed upon a lose thread on the blanket and her fingers started picking at it as she tried to think of a way how to explain herself.

"I just...sometimes wonder what you see in me, okay? I'm like this poor elf from a shitty alienage that can't do anything but steal and piss off people and you're the Herald of Andraste! You're the biggest hat there is next to the Empress and the king of Ferelden and all that, how can I even start to compare? Am I even good enou-", she started but was interrupted by a short yet intense kiss as Adaar wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close.

"You think I am with you because you are female? Do I seem that shallow to you? Because I could be with plenty others here in Skyhold with as many females as we have running around."

"No! No...it sounds stupid when you say it out loud. I love you for everything you are, teetness. And that body of yours, it's such a shame there aren't more female Qunari walking around like you."

"Vashoth, dear."

"I could start calling you oxman."

"I guess I can live with being called Qunari."

The blonde elf smirked at her small victory. "Thought so."

The horned woman shook her head in amusement and picked her lover up in her arms, wrapping the blanket fully around the rogue in the motion. She then walked over to the open balcony door, stepped outside and took a deep breath before yelling a single phrase out into the open.

"I love Sera!"

Various heads turned and even though the Inquisitor had sometimes cursed the fact that her chambers were so high up she now was glad they were because it made it easier to go back inside without being seen too much. When she returned her attention to the small elf in her arms she was amused to see that, for once, the archer had been rendered somewhat speechless. It didn't take her long to get her lose tongue back though and when she did she playfully slapped the Qunari across the shoulder and wrapped her arms around her neck, kissing her passionately.

"You're a loony. My loony."

"I hope that answered your question. And even Inquisitors have to let themselves go sometimes, you know?"

Sera smirked and motioned for the taller woman to carry her back to bed.

"Hm well, I can help with _that_."

* * *

**Phrase of the Day**

_And I believe we both decide to take a stand or run and hide and if you disagree them I'm the fool_

"Oh my love" by Rea Garvey_  
_

**If you liked it, please** **REVIEW**.

No flaming please.


	2. Story II - I'm gonna break both

**Stories from the Hold  
**

**Story II - I'm gonna break both  
**

by

_Silver-Eyed Rukia_

**Rated:** T

**Summary:** A compilation of small One-Shots based on the everyday lives of our favourite Skyhold residents.

**This One-Shot:** A drinking contest in the tavern of Skyhold ends with an unexpected winner. And a wish.

**Pairing:** Adaar x Sera

**Note:** This isn't beta-ed, so please ignore any mistakes. Or point them out and correct me, whatever you prefer.

* * *

The tavern was as busy as usual: off-duty soldiers were enjoying their alcoholic beverages, the castle residents were busily sharing stories and gossip and the barkeeper had his hands full with trying to keep everyone supplied with drinks and food. The Inquisitor passing through was a rather ordinary sight, seeing that she often visited the archer or the Iron Bull or just used the shorter way to contact Cole, but having her sit with her fellow soldiers and downing pints with them was a sight to behold. Especially because she easily outmatched most of them in terms of holding her liquor.

"Damn boss, if I had known that you could drink these freckled pimple-babies under the table so quickly I'd have invited you to drink with us _much_ sooner!", the Iron Bull laughed and patted, or in his case, punched his flat hand against the Qunari's shoulder, nearly sending her pint flying in the motion. She eyed him with scarcely restrained amusement and just shrugged, finishing her fifth mug for the night.

"Chief, s'is a Qunari thing? The liquor n' shit I mean..." Krem's drunken mumbles were barely audible in the commotion and Adaar was honestly surprised that the young man had managed to hold out for so long. They didn't exactly finish their drinks slowly but rather just slammed their heads into their necks and downed the liquid like there was no tomorrow. Or at least no tomorrow without a major hangover. Bull just continued laughing, evidence of the alcohol also visible in his speech but not as bad as for the rest of the Chargers.

"Why do you think they keep 'em so rare, hm? Our females I mean. All the other races would get jealous of us if we didn't- Sera!" The large man rose from his seat, successfully knocking a sleeping Grim off his armrest, and welcomed the blonde woman who had just appeared in his field of view. The elf eyed him for a moment before her sharp eyes landed on Adaar and she smirked, noticing the faint blush on the warrior's face. She stopped on the third step and grinned down at the pair.

"Drinking, yeah? Was already wondering what all the fuss was about and now I see it with my own two eyes: the Herald of Andraste drowning herself tits-deep in booze. How come no one came to get me? Would have loved to see this shit unfold."

The mercenary captain grabbed a pint from the table next to him and handed it to the archer as she descended from the stairs, patting a seat close-by for her to sit on.

"It's not too late to behold the sight just yet. I must admit though, you may not stay awake long enough to see _her_ pass out. Fair warning, now sit and let's continue!"

Sera passed him by, ignoring the offered seat and instead placed herself in the Vashoth's lap, wrapping her free arm around the horned woman's neck while grinning at her.

"Already got the best seat in the house, so suck it."

Adaar laughed, a loud and cheerful sound fueled by alcohol and just kissed her love's cheek, enjoying the familiar weight on her thighs. "Well, I better make it worth your while then."

"Get a room before I have to get someone to clean up another mess of yours", the Tal-Vashoth jokingly said as he watched the pair, obviously referring to the cookies and roof incident a few weeks back. "I mean hey, go ahead. I don't mind watching."

"My roof, my rules. In that sense: my tavern, my rules."

"Kiss it, Bull", the elf added before taking a big sip out of her mug, enjoying the burn the cheap swill left in her throat. "Bet I can make you swallow that big talk of yours."

The Inquisitor leaned forward to whisper something into the rogue's ear but she got distracted by Sera's profile: the way her lips slightly parted when she was distracted by something, how she wet them as they dried out from the hot tavern air...

"Thedas to Inquisitor, is our mighty Herald still there or with her thoughts already in bed?"

The elf's satisfied smirk greeted her as Adaar snapped back into the here and now and she blushed, silently blaming the alcohol for her behaviour and she just cleared her throat, ignoring Bull's knowing grin.

"Are you sure that you want to challenge him to a drinking contest? We already knocked out his entire company", she said as she pointed towards the sleeping dogpile of Chargers, "and we're still good to go."

A bottle was slammed down on the table close to them and their heads turned as the barkeeper gave them a short nod before retreating again and the Qunari grabbed it, refilling everyone's pint before announcing a little game.

"Let's make this a bet then. Whoever is left standing after this bottle is gone gets...hm." He thought for a moment before snapping his fingers. "That's right! Winner gets a wish from the boss!"

"Deal!"

The Vashoth freed herself from her mug and shifted to stare at Bull in a mix of confusion and shock. "Do I have no say in this whatsoever?" Sera's lips pressed themselves against her own, successfully shutting her up before she could say anything else.

"No, no say. Now hush and do your "looking hot in every situation" thing while I earn myself a wish from you."

Adaar raised both her hands in surrender, balancing the light-weighted elf on her thighs as the pair started off with a toast and a big chug of ale.

* * *

Most of the people had already left the tavern by the time the contest was over, leaving the establishment in much quieter company. The barkeeper was cleaning up before closing shop, extinguishing the candles on the various tables as he tried his best not grin at the sight before him.

The floor around Bull's usual sitting spot was covered in Chargers and the man himself, all dead drunk and dead asleep from way too much alcohol than one person should consume in a week. Close-by, still sitting but no less drunk, was the elf and her personal, living seat. Even thought said seat was not as drunk, only intoxicated, as she hadn't participated in the contest.

"Andraste's tits, make the world stop spinnin' already..."

Adaar took the empty pint from Sera's limp hand and placed it on the table, shifting slightly to look at her lover in worry.

"I told you it's stupid. Are you going to be alright?"

"Bullssssssshit. You would say something like "This is most unwise" or some cultural nugdirt like that."

The taller woman chuckled softly and rose from her seat, gently pulling the elf along and carrying her in her arms bridal style. She swayed slightly for a moment as the booze messed up her motor abilities but caught herself quickly after, stepping over sprawled out bodies and various limbs as she tried to get the rogue into her room to get some well-deserved rest. The trip up the stairs proved more difficult than anticipated though as the drunk woman in her arms kept moving in her drunken sleep and Adaar gave a silent thanks as she _finally_ managed to enter the elf's room.

The tall woman fumbled around in the dark and was grateful for the lamps just outside the room that provided at least some sense of lighting as she placed the archer on her makeshift bed, smiling as she heard her sleeptalk about cakes and breakfast and well-fit women. The warrior grabbed a blanket, kissed her love on the forehead and was about to turn around when a hand grabbed her wrist.

"Did I wake you up?"

An unintelligible murmur followed before Adaar was able to make any sense of the words spoken by Sera.

"Y'owe me. Beat Bull, got a wish." A short pause in which the Vashoth thought that the elf had fallen asleep again, but the rest of the sentence followed soon after. "Come down here..."

She did as she was told and the words that reached her pointed ears surprised her enough that she caught herself staring at the in nearly complete darkness shrouded, bright red flushed face of the prankster. She had expected something more Sera-like, like a special night in her private chambers or maybe an order of Orlesian sweets but this?

"Tell me your name's meaning, yeah? Adaar's such a scary sounding name...Valkyrie sounds pretty. Are they pretty? The whatevers you're named after?"

The ruffling of sheets filled the air as Adaar joined her lover in bed, pulling her into her arms tightly as she closed her eyes, feeling the weight of sleep pulling at her mind.

"You never cease to amaze me, you know that?"

"Hm...'s why you love me, innit?"

The last candle inside the tavern was extinguished and the pair was now lying in complete darkness and the heavy breathing of the drunk elf sounded louder than before, signalizing that she was about to fall asleep again.

"That and much more. And yes, I will tell you about my namesake. When you are less bound to fall asleep on the spot or drool on me until I drown."

But the archer was already lost to dreamland and soon after, Adaar followed her: just like she always did.

* * *

**Edit**: This story was inspired by a comic I saw on deviantart :)

* * *

Short little fluff-stuff. Hope it's not too bad^^

**Phrase of the Day**

_When it's you I'm dreaming of, I don't wanna wake up_

"Don't wake me" by Skillet_  
_

**If you liked it, please** **REVIEW**.

No flaming please.


	3. Story III Part I - Hopscotch

**Stories from the Hold  
**

**Story III Part I - Hopscotch**

by

_Silver-Eyed Rukia_

**Rated:** T

**Summary:** A compilation of small One-Shots based on the everyday lives of our favourite Skyhold residents.

**This One-Shot:** A seemingly harmless search-and-destroy job turn bad as the 4-man party runs into an unexpected ambush.

**Pairing:** Adaar x Sera

**Note:** This isn't beta-ed, so please ignore any mistakes. Or point them out and correct me, whatever you prefer.

* * *

The seemingly never ending rain pouring down from the clouds above created a constant noise that did little to drown out the sounds of metal and leather walking up and down the stony mountainside of the Stormcoast. The group consisted of four persons: a dwarf with a crossbow, an elf with an ordinary bow, a short-haired woman with sword and shield and a tall, horned woman carrying a two-handed weapon.

"Buttercup, mind taking smaller steps? Bianca's a littler heavier than your little toothpick even without my stubby little legs trying to keep up."

Cassandra and Adaar exchanged a look before slowing down a pace but the blonde rogue continued balancing on one of the rectangular shaped stone-constructs that were scattered all over the coast, hopping from one stone to the other in what seemed to be deep concentration. But anyone that knew Sera also knew that that wasn't the case. Because an unattentive thief is a dead thief. So she just spun around to face Varric while still dancing along the cliff.

"Can't blame me for chosing the smarter weapon, yeah? My aim's even better than yours even without the 20 pounds of fancy wood weighing me down."

The banter continued and the Inquisitor heard a barely audible sigh through the noise of the rain coming from her right and she raised an eyebrow at the woman beside her.

"It is like watching siblings fight over a toy or the affection of their mother, those two", the seeker said, eyes wandering from said pair to the Qunari next to her. "How come you have not yet intervened, Inquisitor?"

Adaar came to a halt and placed a hand on the warrior's shoulder, stopping her in her tracks while Varric and Sera continued walking, putting some distance between them. Their voices were soon lost to the thunder and rain raging on.

"Despite how they act, neither of them was ready for what happened at Haven. None of us were. It's still fresh in our minds and I am glad for every break we can grand our soldiers and friends. If we don't let them recover from the shock than we might face worse the next time something of the same magnitude happens. And then we won't make it out with just a few dead."

Cassandra's eyes narrowed at the memory but she just nodded and gave the hand on her shoulder a short squeeze before returning her attention to her other two companions who had nearly disappeared from sight. Their mission was to find and exterminate the Red Templars lingering in a cave on the west side of the Stormcoast along with the red lyrium shipments that they had received not too long ago.

It didn't take the two warriors long to catch up to the rest of their team and Sera, who was surprisingly still balancing backwards on the stones, waved at Adaar with a rogueish grin on her features. The Vashoth replied with a smile of her own and was about to raise her hand in a wave too when something just behind the elf caught her attention, and not a second too late.

Animalistic screams filled the air as the templars came out of their hiding spots behind the various trees, swords unsheathed and bows readied with arrows as they charged at the heavily outnumbered searching party. The seeker and the Qunari were still behind their long-range fighters and Adaar inwardly cursed at her own unawareness of her surroundings that had led them into this position. Cassandra was already closing the distance at incredible speed and arrived just in time to block a blow from an enemy sword that was meant to send Varric to his Ancestors.

The dwarf took the chance to roll to the side, readying Bianca in the motion and taking down the second templar trying to flank the warrior. The first one was cut down and fell to the ground like a wet sack, forgotten as the fight went on and even more templars emerged from the ambush site.

Sera had spun around upon hearing the first noises of fighting and had already taken down two enemy archers from her unstable and also very unsafe position along the cliff. She cursed as she readied another arrow, letting it pass by Cassandra's head by a few inches and successfully riding the tank of one of her two attackers.

"Shit shit shit", Sera whispered to herself as she realized that they were trying to corner her. She could take down one of them: the swordsman that was getting dangerously close or the marksman that had yet to ready his weapon. She grit her teeth and closed her eyes for a second before her arrow pierced both skin and flesh and the archer clawed at his throat, trying to breathe as his lungs filled with blood and he fell to the ground in a puddle of mud and water that soon turned a reddish colour.

The decay of the templar's body was a terrifying sight for Sera as she wasn't used to being so close to her enemy. Their faces were veiny and hollow, their eyes filled with a red glow, hungering for more power, for more lyrium. Their voices coated with insanity and their arms strenghted by their disillusioned beliefs. The sight froze the elf dead in her tracks and she begged her legs to move, her arms to rise but when the templar raised his sword to strike her down she remembered that she didn't _have_ to move. Because _she_ was watching her back.

"Buckles!"

The clattering of chain links was loud even amidst the fighting and the rain and the metallic thud that followed caught everyone's attention for a brief moment. The templar that had been about to strike Sera down was now lying in front of Adaar, his back crushed by the massive force of her weapon. The Inquisitor locked eyes with the elf for a second before finally charging into the fight herself, sheathing her weapon and summoning her dragon's might before clawing her way through the enemy ranks.

Both Varric and Cassandra were defending their left flank while Sera and Adaar covered the right, the warriors taking care of the melee fighters and the archers taking down the enemy long-range fighters. Despite being outnumbered four to one they managed to beat down the ambush without sustaining any fatal injuries and as Sera was about to strike down the last man standing, the inevitable happened: the rain had made the stones wet and slippery and as the elf moved to steady her stance for her final shot, something pierced her shoulder and she slid down the edge and lost her footing, falling down onto the stony slope below.

The yell and sudden disappearance of the archer distracted Adaar enough to lose focus of the templar but he didn't have time to celebrate his small victory as two bolts pierced his chests, making him crumble to the floor, dead before he even touched it. Varric grunted and placed Bianca on his back before joining the seeker that was already following the Qunari to where their rogue had been standing.

Adrenaline, both from the fight and from the shock, cursed through Adaar's veins as she sped down the slope, eyes never leaving the not-moving frame of Sera. She had never made a big deal out of her height but now she was glad being so tall as it made climbing up the cliff that the archer was on so much easier. When she finally reached the body her heartbeat stopped for a second only to come back full speed at the sight before her.

Blood was slowly but steadily gathering underneath Sera's frame, an arrow very obviously sticking out of her left shoulder. Her blonde hair was stained with dirt and blood from the fall and her ankle was twisted in an unhealthy angle. But what scared Adaar the most was the fact that she wasn't moving, wasn't talking. Nothing.

* * *

_This is the first part of a Two-Shot_

* * *

I haven't had time to write anything lately and this feels kinda rushed...I hope it's not too bad. Hopefully I can finish the second part either this week or next weekend. Until then, see ya and thanks for reading and your support for my stories. It means a lot to me, really.

**Phrase of the Day**

_But you told me, if you love me, let it die_

"Let it Die" by Starset_  
_

**If you liked it, please** **REVIEW**.

No flaming please.


	4. Story IV - Pride and Prejudice

**Stories from the Hold  
**

**Story IV - Pride and Prejudice  
**

by

_Silver-Eyed Rukia_

**Rated:** T

**Summary:** A compilation of small One-Shots based on the everyday lives of our favourite Skyhold residents.

**This One-Shot: **Solas decides to step up to the Inquisitor and ask her about herself and her beliefs

**Pairing:** Adaar x Sera

**Note:** This isn't beta-ed, so please ignore any mistakes. Or point them out and correct me, whatever you prefer.

* * *

Breakfast among Skyhold's most famous inhibitants was as loud an affair as usual. Tales were being told, gossip exchanged and laughter shared as the Inquisitor's closest friends indulged in their morning routine of dining together. Said Inquisitor was currently sitting at the head of the long table, surrounded by her advisors and absorbed in what seemed to be an important discussion, occasionally nodding her head or speaking a few words but mostly just listening to their input.

Unknown to her was the fact that she was being observed by one of her friends, the apostate looking at her with an unreadable expression on his face but curiosity clearly evident in his eyes. Solas was sitting a bit away from the main crowd, carefully avoiding unwanted interaction between the Iron Bull and himself as he was most likely the one person he could not understand no matter how often they talked.

Minutes went by and the hall became quieter as several people finished their meals and left and soon the Qunari and her consultants were the only ones remaining. Save for a certain elf still observing them.

"It's good to consider all possibilities, Inquisitor", Josephine said and eyed her redheaded friend, skillfully ignoring the slight glare directed at her. "Don't rush head first into these matters, even if that is what some of us would like to do."

The blond ex-templar scoffed and rose from his seat, excusing himself with a slight bow directed at the women in front of him. "Considering all possibilities also means thinking about a direct strike at the enemy, Lady Ambassador. Anyways, I have to see to our new recruits. I bid you farewell for now, Inquisitor, Leliana."

And with that he left, purposefully seeing the diplomat off with a look that clearly said "We will discuss this another time" and Josephine only sighed, returning her attention to the remains of her breakfast.

"Maker, you two are so stubborn sometimes."

The spymaster gave a small chuckle before raising from her seat as well. "That is why you are here, my dear friend. I think I would have considered strangling our commander in his sleep otherwise."

Two pairs of eyes were fixed on her at the statement and the redhead's chuckle turned into a laugh.

"Jokes coming from me must be pretty uncommon for even you to look at me like this, your Worship."

"I would expect Bull to wear an armor made out of dawnstone first than to think you'd be making jokes first thing in the morning", Adaar remarked and returned the spymaster's brief nod with one of her own as said woman left, smile never leaving her face.

"She is in an unusually good mood, isn't she?"

A low hum of agreement came as a response to the Antivan's question and the Vashoth eyed her, raising an eyebrow.

"She received another letter from the Hero of Ferelden, maybe that's the cause of her mood. I thought you knew."

Josephine huffed and finished the last bits of her breakfast. "Apparently it is unimportant to inform me of such things. I swear I will open her letters myself if she keeps doing this."

"You won't and you know it."

The toned woman excused herself from the table with a somewhat mischievous smile on her face.

"I used to be a bard too, Inquisitor. Never underestimate a noble's will when she has set her mind on something."

Adaar was left to shake her head in amusement, quiet settling around her as the only other people still in the great hall were some soldiers and guards that hadn't finished their meals yet. She raised her head as she heard someone approach, watching in interest as Solas stopped a few feet away from her, wearing an expression she had rarely seen on the elf's face.

"Inquisitor, do you have a moment?"

The Vashoth answered with a short "Sure" and followed the apostate to his room, taking the offered seat on the couch as he sat down at the table standing in the middle of the room. A moment of silence passed as Adaar waited for him to say something, and when he did it wasn't anything she would have thought of.

"What is it like being a Qunari?"

"What is it like being an elf?"

The counter-question surprised Solas enough to leave him confused for a moment before he regained his composure.

"Is that your answer to my question, Inquisitor?"

"No. I just wanted to see your reaction if someone would ask you the same thing." Adaar shifted slightly and rested her back fully against the couch, eyeing the elf with her piercing eyes.

Solas chuckled and shook his head slightly.

"This is why we are here, why I am asking you this. You aren't anything like the Qunari I have seen in my travels through the Fade. Not many of your people are ever seen outside of their territory, and when they are they are usually Tal-Vashoth, savage mercenaries."

"Then why ask me? I am neither Qunari nor Tal-Vashoth. If you have questions concerning the Qun then Bull would be a better suited partner."

The obvious dislike of the Qunari was evident in the mage's face upon his mention and Solas crossed his arms over his chest in anger.

"He is blinded by his origins, my friend. He may be a Qunari but he is the kind that I have seen throughout history. A sad constant of ignorance and blind trust in the Qun. Even though now that he is officially considered Tal-Vashoth he may change his unbending view on how people should live under that philosophy of theirs."

If the warrior was offended in any way she didn't show it, only listening closely to what her opposite was letting her know before replying again.

"Qunari follow the Qun, Vashoths have never known it and Tal-Vashoth's have forsaken it. The race itself has no name as it is titled after its beliefs. So what do you ask of me? Why am I Vashoth and not Qunari? Why not Tal-Vashoth if I used to be a mercenary?"

Adaar stood up to her full height, an intimitading sight even to the rather stoic elf, and stretched out her hands, raising them to point at everything and nothing in the motion.

"You limit a race to their existence. Elves should value their magic-ridden history, humans should accept the beliefs of the other races, Qunari should be allowed to live after their own means and dwarfs should be allowed to venture out of Orzammar without getting banished. Noble thoughts, but to whose benefit?"

Her tall figure was now cloaking the apostate in shadows, forcing him to look at her as she slowly came to a halt in front of him, hands now resting at her sides again.

"You judge Sera's fear of magic and her refusal to accept it simply because she is an elf. You judge Bull's beliefs because they don't connect with your own, because they originate from a philosophy beyond your means of comprehension. Your inability to understand _why_ they are different is a result of your refusal to _want to_ understand why."

Solas' eyes were avoiding the Inquisitor's piercing gaze for a moment before they rose to meet those burning azure orbs. Despite his best attempts at hiding his feelings it was easy to see his distress, if only one looked hard enough to find it. He nodded his head briefly before turning around, steady steps taking him outside of his usual residence.

"Thank you, Inquisitor. I shall think on your answer."

A moment of silence passed as the Inquisitor turned around too, right hand resting on the door's handle. She pulled it down but didn't open the door, looking at the back of the elf's head before finally leaving him to his thoughts.

"I am not different. I am simply not what you expected me to be."

* * *

Night fell upon Skyhold and its residents, effectively thinning out the mass of people out in the courtyard as the moon creeped into the sky and replaced its brighter counterpart. It was a cloudless, starry night and the only negative aspect was the chilly night air blowing all the way up into her private chambers. Adaar watched as more and more lights died in the tavern's windows and were reanimated outside in the form of the many torches illuminating the hold's walls.

Naked feet clumsily stumbled over the wooden planks and the stony balcony floor, coming to a halt right behind the tall woman.

"Whatcha doin' out here when your ass should be in bed with me. Sleeping."

A small chuckle escaped her lips as the Vashoth turned around to look at her lover's blonde shock of hair and her much smaller, unclothed frame. She bend down to kiss Sera gingerly on her full lips before she swept the thief off her feet and carried her back to the bed, allowing the elf to already unbutton her attire on the way.

Adaar's new bed was covered in various kinds of furs and skins, a gift from the Avaar of Stone-Bear hold, and both Sera and herself agreed that is was much nicer to sleep in it. In every sense of the word. The archer positioned herself on her knees after being lowered onto the bed's surface, removing the taller woman's clothing with more enthusiasm than her sleepy face let on. She was about to slide it off her lover's body when two strong yet gentle hands stopped her.

Sera looked at Adaar, waiting for an explanation, but what she got was a question she couldn't have anticipated.

"What do you see?"

"If it were anyone else I'd say a redheaded hotty of a woman that I practically own but we're talking about the Herald of Andraste here, so...", the blonde hummed before replying, a somewhat proud mixture of a smile and a grin on her face, "the Inquisitor? The little man's hero?"

She pulled Adaar down, whispering the next words against her slightly parted lips: "The world's last hope?"

To say that she hadn't expected that reply would have been a great understatement. The warrior's surprised musings were interrupted as a kiss closed the gap between her lips and two slender arms lowered her body onto the bed, embracing it in soulful innocence.

The redhead chastised herself for her thoughts as her eyelids grew heavy from exhaustion. She had expected a certain reply from Sera due to the elf's usual appearance and behaviour and was surpised when she replied with something that varied off that demeanor. A thought that not too long ago was the reason for the conversation she had held with Solas, where she had criticized his way of thinking and his judgement. She-

"You are the one person in this darn world that is able to surprise me like that, you know?"

Her cut off train of thought was entirely lost as sleep slowly but steadily crept up on her. The last thing she felt was Sera's breath tickling her face before she drifted away, a few softly spoken words lingering in the room, but those words that followed would forever remain a secret to her.

* * *

_**Author's Note:** The bed is taken from the DLC "Jaws of Hakkon" for Dragon Age Inquisition._

* * *

I will upload the second part of Hopscotch to a later time, so don't worry: I haven't thrown it in the trash. I'm just really busy here lately and I had this already lying around half-finished. Even thought I have to admit: I am not happy with how it turned out. But I don't know, you guys usually like what I produce so maybe I am too harsh with myself. Again :D But if it geniuely sucks...be honest and tell me^^

I personally dislike how Solas is so...urgh. He refuses to accept any views or opinions that differ from his own. For all his intelligence he is pretty stuck in his own little world. Sorry to all Solas-lovers out there ;)

**Phrase of the Day**

_No, I can't stop loving you. No, I won't stop loving you, why should I?"  
_

"Can't stop loving you" by Phil Collins_  
_

**If you liked it, please** **REVIEW**.

No flaming please.


	5. Story III Part II - Hopscotch

**Stories from the Hold  
**

**Story III Part II - Hopscotch**

by

_Silver-Eyed Rukia_

**Rated:** T

**Summary:** A compilation of small One-Shots based on the everyday lives of our favourite Skyhold residents.

**This One-Shot:** A seemingly harmless search-and-destroy job turn bad as the 4-man party runs into an unexpected ambush.

**Pairing:** Adaar x Sera

**Note:** This isn't beta-ed, so please ignore any mistakes. Or point them out and correct me, whatever you prefer.

* * *

"Sera? Sera!"

The Qunari knelt down and immediately checked for breathing and a pulse, letting out a sigh of relief when she found both even though the lack of motion from her beloved still left her feeling uneasy. She motioned for Varric to keep an eye out for enemies while yelling for Cassandra to contact Scout Harding before she returned her immediate attention to her fallen comrade.

"This is not like you Sera. You would never miss the party after a job well done so do not start now", the Inquisitor mumbled in a poor attempt at calming her nerves while she carefully moved the elf's body into a more stable position on her side in case she would get sick or shake in shock and hurt herself further. The neverending stream of water from above blurred her vision and she wiped at her eyes.

A sudden groan startled the Vashoth and she immediately shifted to be able to hold the rogue down if the need to do so arose. Blue eyes slowly opened, darting from the sky to the only other being close to her, widening in confusion. A sharp intake of air followed by a scream filled the thunder-ridden air and Adaar relaxed slightly, realizing that Sera was at least okay enough to be her loud, cursing self.

"Son of a nug-humper this shite's really painful!", the archer spat through her gritted teeth while trying to sit up, only to have her lover push her back down on the cold but even stone.

"I can imagine, but you have to lie still. We have no healer, this position is at least a bit sheltered from the biting wind and I am pretty sure that this", Adaar said, pointing at Sera's broken ankle, "will make it very hard for you to move at all."

A moment of silence passed before the blonde elf let her head fall back onto the grassy patch she had luckily landed on with her head, grumbling in annoyance and pain. "Fine. You better be making up for this pish though, I am freezing my tits off."

The Inquisitor chuckled and watched as both Cassandra and Varric approached their position with care as they both didn't want to end up as their loudmouthed thief.

"I have called for a healer but they assured me that due to this weather it would be wiser to move her to Skyhold for treatment. We should bring her to one of our camps first though, she will certainly need stitches", the seeker spoke with unusal sympathy in her voice. Sera made a gagging sound at the open display of sympathy, which for her felt like pity, and faced another direction, only to snap her head back at the dwarf mere moments later.

"Well buttercup, we found one way to shut you up. Must be hella painful for you though, all due respect for not passing out. Or at least not again."

"You descendant of an ogre loving- oh shite shite shite", Sera whimpered as the attempt of sitting up sent a wave of agony through both her shoulder and her damaged ankle, making Adaar push her back onto the ground again. "Lie. Still. Or I will _find_ a way to knock you out."

Shaking her head at the display the short-haired warrior handed the Qunari her waist-wrappings which consisted of a lavender coloured cloth and something that looked like a belt buckle. It was the only type of clothing they could use as a makeshift bandage to stop the bleeding and make the elf ready for transportation.

While Adaar gingerly wrapped the still slightly bleeding wound both the dwarf and Cassandra returned to their previous positions of watching out for more enemies, giving the pair some space. Not that Varric was lacking in the mocking department, which the seeker now had to listen to and suffer through.

A few feet away the taller woman was finishing up the bandage in silence, the only noise between them being the rain and thunder in the distance. Just as Adaar was about to pull away a hand wrapped itself around her wrist shakingly, its owner shivering like a leaf. Words were spoken that the redhead couldn't understand due to the noise so she leaned closer, only to hear something that she rarely ever heard out of the elf's mouth.

"I'm sorry."

Taking the shivering hand in one of her own, Adaar placed it on the archer's stomach, feeling the freezing cold skin. She was worrying that the cold would drain the elf's body of its self-healing ability quicker than they could get her somewhere safer, and now she was also worried about her mental state. Taking a deep breath the Inquisitor stood to her full height and unsheathed her weapon, jamming it into the ground next to her and ridding herself of her armor. A loud whistle rang through the air, followed shortly by hooves hitting the stony ground beneath. Adaar's horse neighed in anticipation and the Vashoth carefully lifted the still shivering elf into her arms and mounted the horse, riding over to her companions for a quick briefing before setting off for the nearest Inquisition camp.

The black steed breathed heavily while it ran across the coast's wet terrain and Adaar made a mental note to get the poor thing an extra helping of appled later, but right now her mind was focused on the now frighteningly pale elf she held against her chest with her free arm. The adrenaline from the fight had worn off and Sera's body was now fighting against the bacteria that had gotten into her wound and the major blood loss, leaving her cold, weakened and at the verge of passing out.

They passed over a hill and finally one of their camps came into sight, only another five minutes away. The Inquisitor looked down into that beautiful face of her love, shaking her softly, hoping that she could get Sera to stay awake long enough.

"Sera, look at me. We are getting closer, soon enough you will be driving everyone up Skyhold's walls by pranking them with lizards in their beds or buckets filled with indescribable liquids on their doors." It was a pathetic attempt at cheering herself up but she couldn't help it: she was terrified. Terrified that her love, her Sera, would not make it because she didn't pay attention. Because she wasn't fast enough. Rain blurred her vision again, or so she tought.

As if on cue the elf stirred, flashing in and out of conscious, eyeing the redheaded warrior with tired eyes that held a dying spark in them.

"Don't cry teetness. Andraste will be as nice as you are..."

Adaar nearly flew off the horse as they came to a halt, pressing the fragile body against her chest in despair, crying out for help as she fell to her knees. Hands held her as a couple soldiers lifted the now limp body into one of the tents, keeping her from running after them. They needed space, she knew. But she couldn't help it. A final glimpse into the tent showed her: blonde hair covered in dirt and blood, eyes staring into those of the taller woman, but they didn't see her. The uninjured arm hung off the bed limply, and before she saw anything else, the tent closed.

Everything went black.

* * *

The sight was frightening to the pair as they arrived at the camp. The area surrounding the medical tent looked as if a tornado had rampaged through it, leaving nothing but destruction in its wake. Claw marks ran through stone, trees were utterly torn to pieces, the soldiers guarding the place were huddling together close to the tent, eyeing a seemingly lifeless frame standing in the middle of this blight.

Varric mumbled a curse as he went inside the tent, leaving Cassandra to deal with the Inquisitor.

The fellow warrior approached the much taller woman with care. She didn't know what had happened before she and the dwarf had arrived but she knew that whatever it was, it must have been something truly unsettling, because not once in all the time she had known the Qunari had she seen her lose her mind like this. Unleash all the fury and unbound anger that the seeker knew dwelled deep inside the usually calm and intellectual woman.

Hesitantly she touched the unarmored soldier and tensed as the Vashoth moved to look at her, eyes void of emotion until they focused onto the steely brown orbs of Cassandra. In that moment she came back to her senses and she observed the damage she had caused, not remembering any of it.

"How long was I out", she asked, running a bleeding hand over her face to get rid of whatever moist substance was currently covering it.

"I do not know to be honest but it must have been at least about half an hour." Cassandra offered a handkerchief but the Qunari declined, opting for a bath when they finally returned to Skyhold all toge-

"Where is Sera."

An uncomfortable silence made the seeker look off to the side, and even the rain seemed to hold its breath as it had stopped pattering a few minutes ago. Adaar grabbed her friend's shoulders and stared at her, expression unreadable but eyes filled with barely restrained emotions.

"Where."

Cassandra pointed towards the tent and a few seconds later the Inquisitor found herself surrounded by the smell of sanitizer and blood, a mixture that made her stomach turn from both the smell itself and the memories it caused her to remember. It was small and only two people besides herself were currently inside. The dwarf's presence was acknowledged but ignore as Adaar's mind was running amok trying to figure out what had happened before she blacked out and after the had brought Sera here.

Said elf was lying on the only bed inside the tent, stripped off her clothing and covered in several blankets. White bandages were peeking out from just above where the blanket ended on her collarbone. Her ankle was also wrapped up and supported by a makeshift cast. But the one thing that made Adaar feel like the weight of the world had been lifted from her chest was the distinctive voice of a certain archer filling her ears as the owner bantered with her fellow marksman.

"Hell no you ain't better than me. I took down at least three more than you did and I nearly died. Oh hey teetness what's- urgh!" Sera was cut short as the Vashoth fell to her knees and pulled the thief into her arms, ignoring the weak protests of "Ouch" and "You're gonna squeeze the life out of me!" Varric chuckled at the sight and patted Bianca, reminding himself to write his crossbow's namesake a letter about how much he missed and cherished her. Without _actually_ saying it of course.

"I thought I lost you", Adaar whispered before finally letting go, eyeing the still unhealthy pale elf.

"I could never just go and throw a party with Andraste and her boy toy without seeing things through with you now, can I?", she grinned somewhat weakly as it already took all her strenght to support herself sitting up. Adaar wordlessly moved to sit on one of the chair's in the room, never taking her eyes off the thief in the motion. The pain in her chest wasn't fully gone yet, but the relief from knowing that her most important person was still very much alive and breathing was a good start to rid herself of that dreadful feeling of loss that had plagued her.

"Maybe you should do that fake-dying thing more often Buttercup. You should see the place out there, I knew the Inquisitor could smack dragon's around like it's nothing but damn. One-woman army." A glare and a deadpan were directing at the chatty dwarf and Varric just raised his hands in surrender. "Just thinking out loud over here, nevermind the good looking dwarf thinking of plans how to bring Corypheus down without risking everyone' s life."

Sera rolled her eyes in annoyance while Adaar only thanked Varric silently in her head for lifting the mood.

"Well, let's just say you darn near did lose me. Saw myself kissing my butt goodbye from this pisshole but somehow they managed to smack me out of that delusional dream and back into reality with lots of pain and lots of noise. The hell did you do out there? I think one of the soldiers wet his breeches."

Adaar chuckled and continued listening to Sera's explanation about her journey to the afterlife and back and all the things she had seen, thanking whatever higher power there was that had saved her love from being taken from her and from this world.

For once she was ready to believe that maybe there truly _is_ a Maker.

* * *

**Edit:** In German we use the comma after the direct speech, like this: "Bla bla", [subject name here] said. So please bear with it, it's too much work to go back and change it every time since it's how I learned it. Seeing that in every story I write someone points this out as a "mistake" I will write this information into every story I write. So no need to point it out anymore. Thank you

* * *

I had actually intended for this to go a much different route but alas, this is what came out of it. I hope it's not disappointing. I am thinking of maybe doing a small epilogue later on about our favourite and still injured archer making the Inquisitor's life difficult by being a needy little elf. Because we all know how needy Sera is ;)

Also if anyone was wondering about a) Why does Sera suddenly "collapse"? Well, the adrenaline wore off, and believe me, after that you are pretty much out of it

and b) why I sometimes say Qunari and sometimes Vashoth: Humans don't usually differentiate, for them Qunari are Qunari even if they don't follow the Qun. So I switch between both to get the monotone of "Vashoth Vashoth Vashoth" out of my writing^^

**Phrase of the Day**

_Some nights I wish my lips could build a castle, some nights I wish they'd just fall off  
_

"Some nights" by Fun_  
_

**If you liked it, please** **REVIEW**.

No flaming please.


	6. Story V - Pawn checkmates the King

**Stories from the Hold  
**

**Story V - Pawn checkmates the King  
**

by

_Silver-Eyed Rukia_

**Rated:** T

**Summary:** A compilation of small One-Shots based on the everyday lives of our favourite Skyhold residents.

**This One-Shot: **Cullen dares to bet against Sera, firmly believing he'll end up being top-dog.

**Pairing:** Adaar x Sera

**Note:** This isn't beta-ed, so please ignore any mistakes. Or point them out and correct me, whatever you prefer.

* * *

It was a quiet morning in Skyhold's chantry garden as only a few Mothers were up and about, praying and presenting offerings to the Maker. Some early risers like herbalists and gardeners joined them, silently taking care of the hold's ample supply of herbs and flowers. Some birds that were just passing through on their journey through the south chirruped happily from atop the rooftops, basking the cold morning air in their soothing melody.

The commander of the Inquisition's troops was currently seated opposite of his superior, hands neatly folded as if engrossed in a silent prayer. His sharp eyes were fixed on the table in front of him as he moved another one of his pieces across the board. He allowed himself a smirk as he realized that he had won, again.

"You certainly make up for your lack of skill in Wicked Grace with chess, Cullen", the horned woman murmured and ran a hand over her eyes, body and mind still tired from the all-nighter she and her advisors had pulled. The ex-templar seemed embarrassed for a brief moment, seemingly recalling his rather uncharacteristic behaviour from last time, before returning to his usual collected manner, rearranging the pieces for another game.

"It was you who asked me to teach you this, your Worship."

A deep sigh followed his reply and Adaar wondered why in the heavens she had had the idea to ask him to teach her after having been denied sleep for over 24 hours. She eyed the tiny little pawns as she reached out to make her first move when suddenly, her vision went completely dark.

"Guess-who-it-is!"

"Sera, _please_", the Vashoth drawled out in a rare moment of outrun patience, leaning back in her chair as the elf planted her behind on the woman's lap, face-splittening grin never leaving her features.

"When did you turn into such a boring tit, teetness. Was just a harmless little prank, lightening the mood. You look like you could use another _pick me up_ than this though." A short laugh followed before Sera planted a kiss on her love's lips. "Catch my drift, yeah?"

"Excuse me, Sera", a voice behind her exclaimed, successfully turning her attention towards the now not as amused looking Cullen who was still seated at the same table as the pair. "We were in the middle of something."

Grayish-blue eyes roamed over the checkered board before letting out of "Pfft!", rolling her eyes and jumping off the redhead's lap. "Oh pa-lease. Solving a puzzle is harder than that. Don't tell me you actually get your strategies from this stuff? Piss, surprised we ain't dead yet."

"Sera, maybe you shouldn't-", Adaar started but was interrupted by the screeching of wood against stone as Cullen stood so quickly that his seat skittered over the floor, nearly knocking it over in the process. His amber eyes were burning as he fixed them on the rogue, silently challenging her to prove him wrong.

"I haven't seen you contribute anything productive unless you count in throwing valuable resources in the form of food at people", the warrior somewhat angrily said, making the elf turn around with a raised eyebrow.

"What? Want me to bet against you? Show you that the dense little dumb elf from the shitty alienage isn't too daft to play a game based on strategy? Oh you're on."

Adaar was rendered speechless as she got pulled off her seat by the much smaller thief, watching in awe as her Sera _willingly_ agreed to play a game that didn't include winning money or drinks or the promise of quality time with the Inquisitor in her spare time. She blinked, blaming the sight in front of her on her lack of sleep and excused herself from the scene, heading for her chambers.

"I've played this game since I was a small boy, thief", she heard the commander throw into the conversation before the game began. The elf's reply followed suit and was the last thing the Vashoth heard before she exited the gardens.

"And I've survived off my wits my entire life, pretty boy."

* * *

The sun was already starting to set when Adaar awoke from her nap, the still bright rays illuminating the hold in it's bright orange glow. She lay still for a few more minutes, just enjoying the silence that was surprisingly rare around these parts of-

"Oh my god you have to see this!"

Adaar nearly fell out of bed as the blonde elf slammed the door open and climbed the stairs faster than the person still in bed could pull the covers up to hide herself.

"Nevermind, _I_ have to see _this_", Sera smirked and let her eyes wander over the muscled form of her lover as the redhead sighed and climbed out of bed, putting on her usual attire. She turned around when lean but strong arms wrapped around her waist, the owner pushing herself against the taller woman and leaning closer to steal a kiss from her scarred lips.

They didn't part for a good minute but when they did, it left both of them smiling and smirking respectively.

"Damn you're good. You nearly made me forget why I even came in here." Sera wordlessly pulled her significant other over to the balcony, pointing a finger into the direction of someone standing atop the hold's walls, scrubbing them with a brush barely the size of his hand and wearing...

"Don't tell me that is-"

"You bet it is."

The man, his golden mane unmistakenly marking him as the Inquisition's commander, was currently scrubbing the wall connecting the mage's tower to the main building with a clothing-brush, clad in nothing but his birthday suit.

"Stop the world, I want to get off."

Merry laughter followed Adaar's statement and the elf clung to her like a drowning dog, body shaking with bouts of mirth at the sight.

"He, ohmygodIcan't, he seriously bet against me. Bet! Against me!" More laughter, followed by tears streaming down her face before she calmed down enough to continue. "Didn't think his noble arse could be beat by a snotty little elfy-elf. Well guess what you daft tit", Sera exclaimed, now yelling at this point, "Pawn checkmates the king!"

"I honestly don't know what to say, Sera."

The archer smirked, the amusement and her previous outburst still evident in every corner of her face, as she started pulling the Inquisitor back to the bed that was still messed up from her earlier nap.

"Purring is all you gotta do, luv. I won the bet, I'll claim my prize."

* * *

**Author's Note:** In German (and UK English, which we learn in English in Germany) we use the comma after the direct speech, like this: "Bla bla", [subject name here] said. So please bear with it, it's too much work to go back and change it every time since it's how I learned it. I am aware that this is different in American. Thank you for your attention and understanding.

* * *

Just some lighthearted Sera fun. And for anyone doubting that she could beat Cullen: she values the pawns, guess what you have most of in chess? ;)

**Phrase of the Day**

_Yes I'll be your girl, forever your lady, you ain't gotta worry, I'm down for you baby_

"Hey mama" by David Guetta feat. Nicki Minaj_  
_

**If you liked it, please** **REVIEW**.

No flaming please.


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